Below is a quick vlog about the need to be super diligent when polishing glassware for service in a restaurant. NEWA has a lot of service persons who take our training and knowledge courses, and this is something that is often overlooked - or maybe not even considered. But, this week I came across a small deficit in service standards that I thought should be considered by every server and manager, as well as home enthusiasts.

Essentially the standard of care for the polishing cloth should be to simply rinse in water, no detergent, and then air dry. Keep it as clean and scent free as possible. Hope you enjoy the vlog.

It has taken a bit, but the card decks on Brainscape for the WSET Level 1 Spirits course have been updated to the latest version of the textbook. Brainscape has been working on a massive overhaul and update of their platform, so this has contributed to the delay, but I finally received the go-ahead this week to start editing the decks that I have contributed to and/or authored. This includes all of the Certified WSET Spirits courses currently on offer from Brianscape.

WSET introduced new revisions to the Spirits (as well as other courses) this past summer with the commencement of the new academic year. With this update some material was added and refined. The folks at Brainscape asked its authors to refrain from making any changes to the course decks while they were progressing through up-dates the past couple of months. Most of these up-dates involve migration of the decks to new editor software, which allows for better control and access via mobile devices. All aimed at increasing the use and functionality by the authors, but also allowing for a better user experience on the front facing / student-consumer side. Most of this migration has been completed and we are now able to review and edit the classes, once again.

As a reminder, all student to NEWA receive a three-month Pro Membership to Brainscape with class enrollment. This is a huge help when it comes to your studies, as the Brainscape platform is designed to reinforce and recirculate material that is being studied, and allows the user to control the flow of information in order to maximize study time and knowledge.

​Follow this link to enroll in the next WSET Level 1 Spirits online course with New England Wine Academy, starting in early January.

Click here to learn about Brainscape Flashcard app and how it works!

Need a little inspiration once in a while? Everyone needs a bit of therapy now and again. I know I do, and so might you...

Words fo Wisdom are unique, hand-typed notes from the desk of Brian Mitchell. 

These notes are meant to be inspirational, thoughtful, reflective and kind of fun. Short and to the point, each month is a different take on how to view life and the world around us. These notes are offered in various options: from a single thought to a whole year of therapy. There are also Wine Therapy notes meant to teach us something about being a better taster, and Holiday and New Year themes meant to be reflective and forward thinking (occasionally at the same time).

We offer 3-, 6-, and 12-month subscriptions, perfect for when you forget how great life is, and just when you have forgotten about that gift to yourself - a little something shows up in the mail; perfect.

If you are booking for an individual (yourself or another), please use this link to give us the deets on where to send the notes.

If you are looking to book multiple cards for a group, work-team, holiday mailer or family members, please book above with the Group Therapy option, and we will contact you for your list of names and addresses as well as the balance due on an invoice.

To be candid the point here is to make a little money (although this is not a primary revenue source by any stretch).
But, I have found a lot of joy and fulfillment in creating these monthly notes. A lot of thought goes into crafting these monthly messages. I have a regular list of mailings that are sent on the first of each month, but I also carry these cards in my pocket through out my daily life and hand them to people I come across. My hope is that at the very least I can simply make you smile; beyond that if I can inspire or help you be more reflective, productive, thoughtful - then all the better.

​And yes, I do type each card on my 1964 Royal Safari manual typewriter.

*-) B. Mitchell